Machine for packaging metallic leaf in rolls.



L. M. HARWOOD. MACHINE FOR PACKAGING METALLIC LEAF IN ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7,1913.

- M m .M S w. m m m M m J n M w M m L w my m 0 w 0 m w N 2 m W LE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON MARTIN HARWOOD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING METALLIC LEAF IN ROLLS.

Application filed March 7, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEON MARTIN HAR- wool), a citizen of the United States of junerica, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Packaging Metallic Leaf in Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for packaging metallic leaf in rolls. Heretofore it has been a common method to form these rolls of metallic leaf, as gold-leaf, in two well-known ways. First, by transferring the metallic leaf, which has first been wound into a roll form on a paper strip and sometimes known as the preliminary roll. Second, by transferring the metallic leaf, from what is known as the book form, onto the sur face of a continuous strip of paper and winding the leaf and strip into a spiral form. By book form is meant the package of alternate layers of the leaf and paper that is built up after the leaf has been beaten to the required thinness. In this spiral form the metallic leaf may form either a continuous or a separated strip, as desired. Vi hen it is so wound it is in the commercial or package roll.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate both of these steps and transfer the metallic leaf, when finished in the beaters mould, directly to an endless conveyer, this conveyer serving to transfer the metallic leaf onto the surface of a strip of paper and with which it is to be finally wound into the spiral form, or the commercial roll.

A further object of this invention consists in transferring the metallic leaf onto the surface of a continuous strip of paper, and winding the leaf and strip in the spiral form with the ends or edges of the continuous strip of metal remaining untrimmed, thus saving one half the labor that is now neces sary in cutting the leaf on all four sides.

A further object of the present invention consists in the use of some dry material, as chalk, that is to be applied to one side of the winding paper strip, in order to prevent the adherence of the leaf directly thereto.

A further object of the invention consists in suitable means for generating frictional or static electricity to cause the metallic leaf Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 245, 1915.

Serial No. 752,728.

to adhere or be attracted and closely held to one side of the paper strip with which it IS wound into the commercial roll.

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine for packaging metallic leaf in rolls, showing the roll of continuous strip of paper onto which the leaf is to be transferred and then wound into a spiral form; also showing means for operating the endless conveyer-belt simultaneously with the operation of the drawing and pressing rolls which feed forward the strip of paper onto which the leaf is to be wound; also showing means for causing the endless conveyer-belt to be operated without operating the drawing rolls. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a portion of the endless conveyer and one of the leaves thereon, showing two of its edges trimmed.

Referring to the drawings in detaiL-a designates the framework of the machine; I) and c cylindrical rolls for supporting the continuous conveyer-belt (Z. The roll I) is operated by means of a handle 6, and secured to the shaft 7 of this roll is a gear 9.

h designates the lower presser-roll and above the upper surface of which the enclless conveyer-belt cl passes. The presser-roll h is mounted in a journal-box i which fits into an opening is of the framework a. This presser-roll is provided with a gear m. Located between the gears g and m is an idler 0 which is supported on the inner end of a lever p, and normally this idler is out of mesh with the gear 9 (as shown), but when the outer end of the lever 72 is depressed the idler-gear 0 is lifted and brought into mesh with the gear 9 and at the same time the presser-roll it is elevated into the dotted-line position k by reason of the fact that the idle-gear 0 engages the gear below the horizontal diameter of the gear h, causing the conveyer d to be forced upward against the adjacent lower side of the upper presserroll 9, which is a rubber-covered roll; the 1 thickness of the rubber covering being indicated at At the same time the gears m are caused to mesh with the gears 7' of the roll 9 In the position shown in Fig. 1,

when the handle 6 is operated, the conveyerbelt (2 travels freely between the two presserrolls 9 and 72,, but when the lever 29 is depressed at its outer end and the handle e is operated, not only is the endless conveyer d carried forward but the rolls h and g are operated, the upper roll 9 serving at the same time to draw forward a strip of paper 8 from the roll t which is mounted on a bracket u in the upper part of the frame a. Simultaneously with the operation of the roll 9, the shaft or take up roll w of the winding spool is rotated by means of the gear at which meshes with the gear 9 of the roll 9', causing the paper strip 8 to be wound onto the shaft or take up roll to.

Rollers l3 and 14 are rotatably mounted on the outer ends of arms 15 and 16, respectively, which are pivoted at the common point 18. The rolls 13 and 14 bear against the periphery of the strip wound upon the take-up roll to and are forced thereagainst by a spring 17 which acts to pull the arms 15 and 16 together. These rolls are designed to cause the strip to be wound into a neat and compact package. The means for driving the take-up roll 10 is shown in the drawings in conventional form only since it forms no part of my invention. It is recognized that any one of a number of devices of common form may be used to properly drive the roll w. Such driving devices are old and wellknown in the art and the mechanism in the drawing is shown for the sake of simplicity.

Located below the lower surface of the upper portion of the conveyer-belt d is a table 1 which serves to prevent the conveyerbelt (Z from sagging when any undue pressure is applied to the upper surface thereof. 3 designates short lengths of the metallic leaf which has been transferred to the upper surface of the conveyer directly from the beaters mould after being cut as desired. From the arrangement of the pieces of metallic leaf 3 on the 'upper surface of the endless conveyer (Z it is apparent that these leaves can be wound onto the strips either in a continuous or separated position. To wind the leaves 3 onto the strip 8 in a continuous leaf, the operator first presses the outer end of the lever p downward, causing the idler 0 to mesh with g and at the same time forcing the presser roller it against the conveyer cl until the gears m and r mesh. The handle 6 is now rotated, which carries the leaf 3 against the strip 3. Next, he releases this downward pressure on the outer end of the lever 72; next, he rotates the handle 6, causing the endless conveyer d to move forward until a succeeding leaf 3 thereon is brought under the end of the preceding leaf, on the strip s,it being understood that the strip s is now stationary because the idler 0 is out of mesh with the gear 9 and the presser rollers it and g are separated. The operator now presses again the outer end of the lever p downward and repeats the operation first described. In this manner, a continuous strip ofthe leaf is rolled onto the strip 8. If it is desired to roll the leaves .3 onto the strip 8 in a separated manner, the operator simply holds the gear 0 constantly in mesh and the roller h in the dotted-line position, when all of the parts of the machine will be operated together.

If it is desired to roll the leaves 3 in a continuous manner with the gear 0 constantly in mesh and the roller h in the dotted line position, when all the parts of the machine will be operated together, the leaves 3 may be trimmed on the four edges, or on the edges 3 and 3 prior to placing on conveyer, by lapping or joining adjacent leaves as they are placed on conveyer.

In order to cause the strips of metallic leaf 3 to adhere to the strip 8, a frictional pad 5 is mounted on an arm 6 which is pivoted to the frame at 7. This pad bears on the upper surface of therubber covering 9 as shown. This frictional pad generates a sufficient quantity of electricity which is transferred to the strip 8 as it passes around the roll 9 and causes the metallic leaf, indicated at 3, to be attracted toward the winding strip and to be held in contact therewith during the winding of the strip onto the shaft or take-up roll w. In order to prevent the leaf from adherin' to the oppositeside of the strip 8, a bloc of chalk, or other dry material, indicated at 8, is mounted in the arm 9 that is pivoted to the bracket to at 10. This chalk, as the strip is unwound from the roll t, imparts a thin layer to the strip on the opposite side from the leaf3, whereby, when the leaf and strip are wound onto the shaft or take-up roll 10, it will not adhere to the opposite side of the strip, as will be readily understood.

11 designates a presser-roll that is mounted in the arm 12 and pivoted to the same pin 10 as the arm 9, although the two arms 9 and 12 are not rigidly connected together.

It will be seen from this construction that the book-form is entirely done away with, and also the preliminary roll is not required; but the operator may transfer the leaf from the beaters mould to the conveyer (Z. lVhen in position upon the conveyer, it is wound into the commercial roll on the strip 8. The leaf may be cut on the conveyer; but in practice, it is preferable to cut the leaves prior to placing on conveyer, either on the four sides, or upon the edges 3 and The remaining edges in this latter case being left uncut as shown in Fig. 2.

It is, of course, understood that the operator can lap the edges of the metal leaf or leave them in a spaced condition so as to form either a continuous strip of metallic leaf on the roll 8, or have them spaced from each other as desired. If it is desired to make a continuous strip of the metallic leaf without the intermittent pressure action of the roller 9 upon the conveyer d, the

leaves 3 may be lapped or joined, directly upon the conveyer itself, as readily understood.

l Vhat I claim, is

1. In a machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, the combination, of a pair of supporting rollers, an endless conveyer supported thereby, and on which the metallic leaves to be packed are placed, means to cause the conveyer to travel in a forward direction, a pressure roller, a supporting strip, means to make and break contact of the pressure roller with the upper strand of the conveyer, means to rotate the pressure roller at the will of the operator and simultaneously with the travel of the con veyer, means to draw said strip forward, means to cause the metallic leaf to adhere to said strip, and means for winding said strip, as described.

2. In a machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, the combination, of a pair of supporting rollers, an endless conveyer supported on said rollers and on. which the beaten leaves to be wound are placed, a roll of continuous material with which the leaf is wound, a pair of pressure-rolls, the rollforming material being passed above the conveyer and beneath the upper one of the pressure-rolls, a take-up roll to which the end of the strip is attached, means for intermittently transmitting rotary motion from one of the supporting rolls to said pressure-rolls and the take-up roll, means to cause one of the rollers to draw a desired length of the strip and at the same time force the metallic leaf on the conveyer into close contact therewith, a device to electrify the pressure-roll around which the rollforming material passes to cause the metal lic leaf to adhere to the paper strip during the winding process, and means to apply a dry substance to one side of the roll-forming material to prevent the leaf adhering to that side of the material, as described.

3. A. machine for packaging metallic leaf in rolls, comprising, in combination, an endless conveyer on which the leaf to be packed is first placed, means to support said conveyer, a pair of pressure-rollers, located one above and one below the upper travel of said conveyer and in the same vertical plane, a takeup roll onto which the layers of the leaf and a suitable supporting strip are wound, said strip being passed partially around and in contact with the upper one of said pressure-rollers, means to electrify said upper pressure-roller to cause the metallic leaf to be attracted from the conveyer and to the strip as it passes around said upper roll, means to simultaneously operate the enclless conveyer, the pressure-rollers, and the take-up roll, and means to apply a powdered substance to one side of the support ing strip to prevent the metallic leaf from adhering to that side of the strip when wound into the roll.

4:. A machine for packaging thin metallic leaves into rolls, in combination, of an endless conveyer, supporting rolls therefor and for operating the conveyer, a take-up roll onto which a strip of the packaging material is wound, a roll located above the conveyer and against which said material is passed, said roll having a surface provided with a material capable of generating frictional electricity, a rubbing device engaging the surfaces of the roll, a second roll designed and arranged to cooperate with and to transmit motion to the first roll, the rolls being normally separated to permit the conveyer to be operated alone, a take-up roll, means to elevate the second roll to force the conveyer and packaging strip against the first roll, and to operatively connect one of the supporting rolls thereto, whereby the rolls, conveyer and strip may be operated in unison, and whereby a metallic leaf on the conveyer may be picked up by the electrically-charged strip and wound into a package, as described.

5. In a packaging machine, the combination, of an endless conveyer on which the material to be packed is placed, means to support the same, a pair of pressure-rolls to engage the adjacent upper and lower sides of the upper travel of the conveyer, said rolls being normally out of contact with said portion of the conveyer, means to force one of said rolls toward the other to exert pressure on the conveyer, means to operate the rolls, a supply of packaging material passed around the pressure-roll that is above the conveyer, a take-up roll for the packaging material, means to operate the take-up roll from one of the pressure rolls whereby when the rolls exert a pressure on the conveyer and the rolls are operated the packaging material will be moved in unison with the conveyer and the material on the conveyer is drawn along with the packaging material, as described.

6. In a packaging machine. the combination, of conveyer means to receive a leaf of the material to be packed, a member around which the packaging material passes. means to move the said material and member continuously or intermittently with the con veyer means at the will of the operator,

means to move the conveyer means indecause the packaging material to be drawn along in unison with the conveyer and the leaf thereon, a take-up roll to wind the packaging material and leaf into a roll, and means interconnected between the conveyer, the compression means, the actuating means, and the take-up roll to wind the packaging material and leaf into a package on the take-up roll, as described. I 8. In a machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, the combination, ofapair of supporting rollers, an endless conveyer supported thereby and on which the metallic leaves to be packed are placed, means for operating one of the rollers to cause the conveyer to travel in a forward direction, a pair of pressure-rollers, one located above and one below the upper strand of said conveyer, means to cause one roller to be driven from the other, an idler-gear located between the lower pressure-roller and one of the conveyer-operating and supporting rollers, said idler-gear being normally in an inoperative position, means to cause said idler-gear to elevate and transmit motion from said conveyer-operating and supporting roller to the two pressure-rollers, whereby the upper strand of the endless conveyer between the two pressure-rollers and the metallic leaves thereon will be compressed, and, when a strip is placed in contact with the upper strand of the conveyer and passed between the two said pressurerollers, it will be moved forward, together with the metallic leaves, when said rollers exert a pressure on the upper strand'of the conveyer, means to cause the leaf to adhere to the strip, and means for winding said strip and leaves into a roll, as described.

9. A machine for packaging metallic leaf in rolls, comprising, in combination, an end less conveyer on which the leaf to be packed is first placed, means to support said conveyer, a pair of pressure-rollers, located one above and one below the upper travel of said conveyer and in the same vertical plane,

' a take-up roll onto which the layers of the leaf and a suitable supporting strip are wound, said strip being passed partially around and in contact with the upper one of said pressure-rollers, means to cause the metallic leaf to be attracted from the con veyer and to the strip as it passes around said upper roll, means to simultaneously operate the endless conveyer, the pressurerollers, and the take-up roll, and means to apply a powdered substance to one side of the supporting strip to prevent the metallic leaf from adhering to that side of the strip when wound into the roll.

10. In a packaging machine, the combination, an endless conveyer to receive metallic leaves having their non-contiguous edges untrimmed, a supporting strip, a take-up device, compression means, means to cause the leaves on the conveyer to adhere to the supporting strip, and interconnected means to simultaneously operate the conveyer device and the compression means to form the package roll.

11. In a machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, the combination, of a pair of supporting rollers, an endless conveyer supported thereby and on which the metallic leaves to be packed are placed, means for operating one of the rollers to cause the conveyer to travel in a forward direction, a pair of pressure-rollers, one located above and one below the upper strand of said conveyer, means to cause one roller to be driven from the other, an idler-gear located between the lower pressure-roller and one of the conveyer-operating and supporting rollers, said idler-gear being normally in an inoperative position, means to cause said idler-gear to elevate and transmit motion from said conveyer-operating and supporting roller to the two pressure-rollers, whereby the upper strand of the endless conveyer between the two pressure-rollers and the metallic leaves thereon will be compressed, and, when a strip is placed in contact with the upper strand of the conveyer and passed between the two said pressure-rollers, it will be moved forward, together with the metallic leaves, when said rollers exert a pressure on the upper strand of the conveyer, means to cause the leaf to adhere to the strip, and means for winding said strip and leaves into a roll, as described.

12. A machine for packaging metallic leaf in rolls, comprising, in combination, an endless conveyer on which the leaf to be packed is first placed, means to support said conveyer, a pair of pressure-rollers, located one above and one below the upper travel of said conveyer and in the same vertical plane, a take-up roll onto which the layers of the leaf and a suitable supporting strip are wound, said strip being passed partially around and in contact with the upper one of said pressure-rollers, means to cause the metallic leaf to be attracted from the conveyer and to the strip as it passes around said upper roll, means to simultaneously operate the endless conveyer, the pressurerollers, and the take-up roll, and means to apply a powdered substance to one side of the supporting strip to prevent the metallic leaf from adhering to that side of the strip when wound into the roll.

13. In a machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls the combination of a pair of supporting rollers, an endless conveyer supported thereby, and on which the metallic leaves to be packed are placed, a supporting strip, a pressure roll, beneath which the said strip passes on the conveyer, a take-up roll to which the end of the supporting strip is attached, means to draw forward a desired length of the supporting strip, and at the same time force the metallic leaf on the conveyer, into close contact therewith, a device to electrify the pressure roll and about which the roll forming material passes to cause the metallic leaf to adhere to the supporting strip during the winding process, and means to apply a dry substance to one side of the supporting roll to prevent the leaf adhering to that side of material, as described.

14. A machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, in combination, of an endless conveyer, supporting rolls therefor, and for operating the conveyer, a supporting strip, a take-up roll onto which the strip of the packaging-material is wound, a pressure roll located above the conveyer and against which said material is pressed, said roll having a surface provided with a material capable of generating frictional electricity, a rubbing device engaging the surface of the pressure roll, means to operate the takeup roll from the pressure roll, a roll placed below the upper strand of conveyer and arranged to cooperate with the pressure roller to transmit motion from one roller to the other and to the conveyer, the rolls being normally out of contact with each other to permit the conveyer to be operated independently' of the rolls, means to move the conveyer into contact with the pressure" roller, and means to operatively draw forward the conveyer in unison with the sup porting strip, whereby the metallic leaf on the conveyer may be electrically attracted to the strip and wound into a package as described.

15. A machine for packaging metallic leaves in rolls, in combination, of an endless conveyer, supporting rolls therefor, a strip of packaging material, a take-up roller onto which the strip of the packaging material is wound, a pressure roller located above the conveyer, and against which said material is pressed, means to operate the take-up roll from the pressure roll, one roller placed below the upper strand of the conveyer and arranged to cooperate with the pressure roll to transmit motion from the first mentioned roller, the rollers being normally separated to permit the conveyer to be operated independently of the roller, means to move the conveyer into contact with the pressure rollers, means to operatively draw forward the conveyer in unison with the supporting strip whereby the metallic leaves on the conveyer may be wound into a package as described.

16. In a metallic leaf packaging machine, the combination, of an endless conveyer to receive the metallic leaves, a member around which the packaging material passes, packaging means, means to move the said material and member continuously or intermittently with the conveyer means, means to move the conveyer means independent of the packaging means, whereby the material may be packed in a continuous or separated manner, as described.

17. In a metallic leaf packaging machine, the combination, an endless conveyer to receive the leaves to be packed, a strip of packaging material with which the leaves are to be packed, means to compress said conveyer and packaging material with which the said leaves are to be wound, operative means to simultaneously cause the packaging mate rial to be drawn along in unison with the conveyer and the leaves thereon, a take-up roll to wind the packaging material and leaves into a roll, and means interconnected between the conveyer, actuating means, the compression means, and the take-up roll, to wind the packaging material and leaves into a package on the take-up roll, as described.

LEON MARTIN HARVVOOD.

Witnesses:

HARRY W. BOWEN, JAMES Gr. DUNNING.

Copien at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

